Internal-combustion engine



Aug. 3l 1926. l 1,597,924

' .A. l.. POWELL INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE l Filed Feb. 2, 19.21 2 sweets-sheet i l 3mm/Lio@ Aug. A3,1 1926. 1,597,924

A. L. POWELL INTERNAL CMBUsTIoN ENGINE Filed Feb. 2, 1921 2 sheets-.sheet 2 ,73.11 i Cul/WK @41M Patented Aug. 31, 1926.

UNITED ALVAH L. POWELL, 0F MILES CITY, MONTANA, ASSIGN'OR T0 THE A. L. POWELL POWER C0., INC., 0F MILES CITY, MONTANA, A BODY CORPORATE rnfrnnnnnfoomnus'ron ENGINE.

Application led February 2, 1921. Serial No. Aill.

My invention relates to improvements in internal combustion engines in -which I use novel means for preparing the firing charge, and for introducing it in the cylinder. I also effect ignition in a direct, mechanical way that adds to the eiiiciency of an engine equipped with my improvements.

In the accompanying drawings I show a form of my invention, applied to a four cylinder engine.

Fig. l is an elevation, partly in section.

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation from the end, showing the valves and valve gear, and one operating cylinder.-

Fig. 3 is a diagram of the cycle of operation.

Fig. 4 is a diagram showin the relation of crank stroke to the order o explosion in the cylinders.

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic arrangement to show the relation of power impulses to one revolution of the crank, the order of liring and sequence of impulses.

In Fig. 1 six cylinders of an engine are shown, but of these only the four lntermediate are for power. Cylinder A is mounted on a casing and contains a piston A1, con-v necting rod A2, the latter conventionally fitted to a crank, A8, on a crank shaft, A4. The description given holds for each of the other cylinders and working parts.

Cylinders A and C are for intake andk compression only. The cylinder A is connected to the fuel supply of the engine and, on each downstroke of piston A1 a charge is drawn inA through a check valve B. On return stroke this charge is compressed and forced into a pipe, B1, a check valve, B2, preventing its retu-rn to cylinder A. The pipe B1 is of relatively large diameter and is suitably covered by heat insulating material, as shown at B8. A safety valve, B4, is connected to the end of this line, and a pressure gauge B5 is used to register variations of compression. At the opposite end Aof .the

engine a cylinder C, containing connects through an opening,

a Cpiston, C1,

, with a pipe C3, Fig. 2, that runs parallel to pipe- B1. This plpe is also protected by heat insulating packing and is fitted wlth aseoond ressure gauge, C4. On each outstroke of piston C1 a charge or air is drawn into cylinder C through a check valve, C. Ony return stroke of said piston this charge is compressed and forced into the pipe C, be-

Athe poppet valves D6, DW

ing retained therein by a check valve, C. The compression of ,the pure air is much greater than that of the fuel mixture and 'for this reason the diameters of the retain- `pipes B1, C3, I cause-the pistons therein to make eight strokes to one of the power pis. tons. This I effect by driving the compression shafts four times faster than the shaft II. A gear, J, meshing with a pinion, J1, multiplies the rot-ation of the compressing cranks in the proportion given.

As all of the power cylinders are duplicates of each other it will only be necessary to give the operation of one to understand the others. In the head of cylinder D a flue, D2, passes to pipe B1. In the walls of said flue are valve seats on which are seated poppet valves D5, D4. A flue D5 similarly communicates from cylinder D to a pipe reservoir, C8. In said flue there are located The valves D3, D", D, D7, are held to their seats by spiral springs, D8, D, D1, D11, and their movement from their seats is controlled by the cams K, K1, K2, K, through the action of the rollers shown on end of each valve stem Fig. 2. The said cams are revolved by a series of meshing gears, as shown in Fig. 2, these gears being driven by suitably dis posed operative means from the power shaft. These means are not shown. On the side of cylinder D, an operable valve K* controls admission to an exhaust flue, K5, that leads to exhaust pipe, K6.

At end Ofupstroke of piston D1 the valves D4, D7, are lifted by the cams connected therewith, and charges of explosive mixture and pure air escape from the reservoirs, B1, C, into the space between the said valves and valves D3, D". On the diagram, Fig. 3, these valves are open from a to b. At end of u stroke of piston there is only clearance' etween it and cylinder head, scavengof air and fuel enters the cylinder. On closing of valves D3 valve D6 opens and a charge of the highly compressed air from pipe C3, enters cylinder. The compression of this air has been carried to a pointwhere its temperature is sufficiently high to effect ignition, the insulation of C3 retaining the heat for a reasonable period. Ignition takes place, and power is developed by piston D1, said power being transmitted to shaft H by the connecting rod, H2, and crank H1. The power is developed during that part -of the crank circle embraced between forty Hve degrees and one hundred and thirty Hve degrees, Fig. 3. Exhaust valve K'l again opens, and the burned charge escapes and is driven out, as indicated on diagram.

The double arrangement of valves between cylinder and reservoir pipes, B1, C3, is to preclude back firing from said cylinder to said pipes. The valves D3, De, are always closed when D4, D7, are open, cutting 0H admission to B1, C3.

l Each piston operates on a two cycle basis, developing power on each outstroke, and this power stroke bears the same relation to the crank circle; that-is,` each actuates the crank through a distance between forty five degrees and one hundred and thirty five degrees, there being no overlapping. The

power shaft therefore receives an impulse each quarter of a revolution and as `there are four power cylinders, the thrust on shaft remains even and constant.` In Fig. 4f Ivgive a diagram that illustrates the relation and movement of thecranks with reference to each other while in Fig. 5 I show, diagrammatically, the relation of the ring order to that of the power impulses through one revolution of the crank.

I thus secure an engine of relatively sim-- ple construction and great mechanical ciciency, and an automatic ignltion derived i from mechanically compressed and superheated air.

What I believe is new, and ask to have protected by Letters Patent, is-

l.Y In an internal combustion engine, the combination of va gaseous fuel reservoir, a compressedair reservoir and a combustion chamber, means whereby said gaseous fuel is compressed, means whereby said air is compressed, each of said reservoirs being connected `with the combustion chamber by means of separate Hues, a valve controlling the admission of the gaseous fuel from` the fuel reservoir to its Hue, a second valve controlling the admission of fuel from the last mentioned4 Hue to the combustion chamber, a third'valve controlling the admission of air from the air' reservoir to thel Hue communicating therewith and a fourth valve controlling the admission of air from the last mentioned Hue to the combustion chammission of air from the air reservoir to the Hue communicating therewith and a fourth valve controlling the admission of air from the; last mentioned Hue to the combustion chamber and means whereby said valves may be positively actuated, saidm'eans includin four shafts, a gear onfeach shaft inf termes ing. with the gear on the adjacent shaft whereby the adjacent shafts are rotated in opposite directions, a cam carried by each shaft and a rplunger connecting each valve to its actuating cam.

3. In an'v internal combustion engine, the combination of a gaseous fuel reservoir, a compressed air reservoir and a combustion chamber, each of said reservoirs being connected with l the combustion chamber by means of separate Hues, a 4valve'controlling the admission of thel gaseous fuel from the fuel reservoir to its Hue, a second valve controlling theadmission of fuel from the last mentioned Hue tothe combustion chamber, a third valve controllin the admission of air from the air reservolr to the Hue communicating therewith and a fourthv valve controlling the admission of air from the last mentioned flue to the combustion chamber, means whereby said valves may be positively actuated, said means including four shafts, a gear on each shaft'intermeshing with the gear on the adjacent shaft where by the adjacent shafts are rotated in oppo site directions, a cam carried by each shaft,

a plunger connecting each valveto its actu` means of separate filles, a valve controiling the admission of the gaseous fuel from the fuel reservoir to its Hue, a second valve controlling the admission of fuel from the ast 1254 nected with the combustion chamber by' 5 controlling theadmission of air froml thel last mentioned ue to the combustion chamr, means whereby said valves ma be positively actuated, said means inclu -ng four shafts, a gear on each yshaft intermeshing 10 with the gear on the adjacent shaft whereby the adjacent shafts are .rotated in opposite directions, a cam carried b each shaft,` a plunger connectmg each va ve to lts actuating cam, an exhaust ue communicating with the combustion chamber,y a valve seated between the entrance to said flue and said combustion chamber and means whereby said lastme'ntioned valve is actuated.

'In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature.

ALVAH L. POWELL. 

